What NEW truck should I buy?

ok, my old girl 2001 F-150 Screw looks great, but she just needs to be replaced with a new model. She's got 125k on it so that is not bad, but I have an electrical issue where it sometimes it shorts out overnight and kills the battery. I can't find the issue for the life of me, so I'm just giving up and will sell it and get a new truck.

So what do I get to replace her? Another Ford, a Chevy, a Dodge...? I need 4 doors, and can go with a short bed as it is only used for fishing gear back and fourth to my boat, and a couple times a year hauling firewood.

I've always liked my F150 screw, except the terrible (12mpg) fuel economy. Is there better options out there economy wise? If I could get 20mpg, I could use it for work as well (commuting to office, not a work truck).

 

I have about 6500 miles on my F-150 scab with 3.73 gears and the 5.0 engine. I get 20 mpg highway / 17 mpg city with summer gas which is much better than the Ram I had that got 11 mpg on a good day. The 3.31 gear ratio will get slightly better mileage. Ram is advertising upper 20's (I think). I personally would not buy a GM, but that's just me.

 

I have. 2011chevy 4door I get 21 mpg with mine a its awsome jmo

 

I have a 2012 ram and average 18.5 mpg going back and forth from work and my local running around.I can do much better on a longer trip,I got 24.5 mpg on our last North Carolina trip.

 

The new dodge 1500 eco- diesel is posed to be around 28mpg

 

Buddy has one no power

 

Go drive an ecoboost f150. You might also wanna wait until the tundra diesel comes out if you can.

 

I like the Fords. I like the Toyotas. I like the Chevy/GMCs.

I don't think anyone is getting decent gas mileage with any of these trucks. The claimed MPG are a bunch of B.S. Getting an average of 20 MPG or more is not happening.

Maybe if you drive 55, step on the gas like your 90 y.o. grandma every time you leave a corner, the wind is non existent, and the temperature and humidity are just right.

 

Is it actually draining the battery or just not turning over in the morning?

I have a f350 that occasionally would not turn over after it sat out in the cold weather over night. It drove me crazy most of the winter but I finally found the problem. Ford uses fusible links to at the under hood starter solenoid. The connection between the 12 gauge fusible links and the 4 gauge cable had corroded and had a weak connection. When it was cold there wasn't enough juice to turn the starter.

The new fusible link I made up


End the battery cable it connects to.

 

The new F-150 has an aluminum body...

http://blog.caranddriver.com/in-dep...esented-in-an-alloy-of-facts-and-perspective/

 

Mine is pre-aluminum but an ecoboost. I get 16 around town and 19-20 on the highway. That is driving it normal and not too carefully. I have to say, the power this truck has when towing is truly impressive. Once they accidentally loaded my dump trailer to 13k at the quarry and it had plenty of power on the way home, even the uphill run when you pull out of the quarry. It did push the truck around a lot but power to spare.

 

Yes, but its VERY expensive. Is a 6k option, and only available on a high end model in 4x4, starting at 40k. Motor trends long termer is having expensive issues if it were out of warranty. The mpg is great, but the motor is Italian, and really untested.

Get the new f150 with the 2.7ecoboost. It'll get the mpg you want, lower fuel prices and maintenance costs by it being gas and not diesel, has about 100 HP more than you have on that 5.4, and tq to boot. Granted the 2.7 ecoboost is new too, but ford has a lot of miles and knowhow learned from the 3.5 v6 ecoboost twin turbo.

 

Holy crap..6k..shoo....

 

yeah, 6k buys a lot of gallons of gas plus right now diesel is 30% more expensive than gas around here. No savings IMO

 

Over the years my dad has all 4 major trucks on the road. He loves his current Toyota. As I borrow it often, let me say I am not a fan. It's a 2007 Toyota Tundra with a double cab. Not a very comfortable interior, does not do well when weighed down with a load, and doesn't ride near as comfortable as other trucks I've driven.


I must that I am personally a Ford man. Within the next year or two, I plan on either an F150 or an F250. Just something sticks with me that Ford did not take any of the government's bailout money.


Much is to be seen on Ford's decision to go aluminum. They have a slight weight advantage providing reported better gas mileage with their iceboats motors. When it comes down to it, decide how much you need to haul, tow and any other variables such as bed length, then compare all 4. Then get out and drive them. See what fits your fancy.

 

I've rode in a 13 or 14 Ram 1500 on a trip from Western Michigan to right above New York City with 23.5 mpg @80. The new 8 speed will get good mileage cruising on the interstate. I'm not a half ton truck guy myself but if I was to buy one it would be the new dodge.

 

The Tundras with the 5.7 get crappy mileage. I borrowed my cousin's Sequoia and even babying it on the highway the best I could do was 15 MPG. Around town was more like 13.


My '06 5.9 Cummins 3500 will do 17-20 under the same driving conditions. Too bad diesel is so expensive!

The Sequoia I drove is a 2008 model... Maybe the new ones are better?

 

That is one my biggest reasons for going with the F-150. Plus, I always had Ram's and wanted to try something else.

I believe they are quoting a 750lb weight savings - pretty substantial. Of course, being aluminum, it will probably take some time for the body guys to get up to steam on repairing them in the event of a shunt.

 

Factor in the 2-3x cost for oil change too.....ouch!